Device for fitting an expansion joint, in particular an expansion joint between concrete slabs

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a device intended for establishing a connection between two adjacent slabs, preferably concrete slabs, by fitting the expansion joint found between the two slabs. The device takes the form of a metallic profile or two metallic profiles. The device is provided with load transfer elements such as projections or dowels arranged at a first defined height as well as anchoring elements arranged at a second defined height. The anchoring elements are arranged on either side of the profile(s), either alternating or opposite each other. The anchoring elements take the form of a flat sheet that has a distal portion and a proximal portion. The distal portion has an opening or a reservation allowing the passage of a positioning and maintaining device for fastening a positioning and maintaining device.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the construction sector, in particularthat of slabs for industrial floors. More particularly, the presentinvention concerns a device which takes the form of a metallic profileused to fit expansion joints between adjacent slabs.

In this description, the word “joint” is used solely to refer to thezone or space found between two adjacent slabs, whereas in theconstruction field, this term is generally used to refer to the deviceitself which is in the form of a metallic profile that fits such a zone.

The profiles which fit the expansion joints are also called expansionprofiles and are therefore placed in the space existing between twoadjacent slabs or parts of slabs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Devices for fitting expansion joints are known in the field of concreteconstructions. The desired effect of this type of devices is to form aconnection between adjacent slabs, while still allowing limited movementof one slab in relation to the other in the plane of the slabs, thismovement being essentially due to the withdrawal/shrinking of concreteduring setting and then to the thermal expansions and shrinkages. Thedevices must perform the load transfer between adjacent slabs andmaintain the flatness of slabs, while avoiding breaks and deteriorationsat the edges of the slabs.

The device must be designed to allow quick and easy placement duringpouring of the concrete slabs. It must also provide sufficientmechanical strength of the edges of the slabs to curling and otherstresses.

In general, the expansion joints are fit with metallic profiles thatflush with the upper level of the slab. These profiles are not naturallystable and are maintained at their level by all sorts or various, fairlyimpractical means such as wedges, which can alter the quality of thework if these means remain embedded in concrete, precisely at aparticularly sensitive location which is the expansion joint.

A device for an expansion joint can typically comprise either a singleprofile, or preferably two profiles arranged opposite each other andanchored in the concrete by anchoring lugs as well as load transferelements, such as projections or dowels which go through the jointperpendicularly, so as to allow expansion between two adjacent slabs aswell as a load transfer between these slabs. The projections are flatplates, the dowels can be circular or made up of bars having round,square, rectangular, etc. sections.

Examples of devices for expansion joints fit with flat projections aregiven in document EP 1 905 898.

An improved solution for the placement of these joints was described indocument EP 1 389 648 through the use of a height-adjustable devicewhich goes through a flat load transfer dowel. This device does notstabilize the profile fitting the joint during placement and requirestightening of a nut in order to stabilize it in the right position. Theheight adjustment requires destabilizing the profile, performing theadjustment and destabilizing.

The Applicant has also already proposed a solution to solve thisplacement problem, in particular in the application published under no.EP 2060701, where it is suggested to use an independent placement devicewhereof the very design lies in the fact that it can be fixed to themetallic profile(s) and maintain them in a completely vertical positionupon placement on the floor.

This is a device for maintaining a profile for expansion joint betweenconcrete slabs or parts of slabs which comprises, for example:

means for fixing to said profile, the means acting so as to ensureperfect welding during the placement of said profile and allowingunwelding when the slabs are realized, and

means for adjusting the height of said profile so as to ensure suitablepositioning.

Aims of the Invention

The present invention aims to provide a device allowing to fit anexpansion joint between two slabs, which offers a solution to theproblems existing in the devices of the prior art.

In particular, the present invention aims to propose a (placement)device which allows to keep the expansion profile(s) at the rightheight, i.e. so that the upper level of the profile is flush with theupper level of the slab and it is placed completely vertically duringthe entire implementation.

The present invention therefore aims to propose a device whereof theheight is adjustable and which allows to maintain said profile in thevertical position from the time of placement while also ensuring maximalstability.

Advantageously, the present invention aims to propose a device whichallows a height adjustment without having to modify the verticalposition of said device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device called an expansion deviceintended for establishing a connection between two adjacent slabs,preferably concrete slabs, while fitting the expansion joint foundbetween the two slabs, said expansion device preferably taking the formof one metallic profile or of two metallic profiles arranged oppositeeach other and possibly separated by a separator plate, the device beingpossibly provided with load transfer elements such as projections ordowels arranged at a first defined height as well as anchoring elementsarranged at a second defined height, said anchoring elements beingarranged on either side of the profile(s), either alternating oropposite each other, wherein said anchoring elements take the form of aflat sheet having a distal portion and a proximal portion and which has,in the distal portion, an opening or a reservation allowing the passageof a positioning and maintaining device or means for fixing apositioning and maintaining device.

By opening, it should be understood an aperture which has a closeprofile according to the plane perpendicular to the axe of the opening.Said opening can be considered as a through-hole.

In case of a reservation, it should be understood an aperture having anopen profile in the plane perpendicular to the axe of the aperture. Suchreservation can accordingly have the form of a recess. In such case, thedevice for fixing and maintaining said device intended for establishinga connection between two adjacent slabs can be positioned or retrievedafter or before the positioning of said expansion device.

Preferably, the load transfer elements are arranged and spaced regularlyover the entire length of the expansion device.

Preferably, the anchoring elements are also arranged and spacedregularly over the entire length of the expansion device.

The first height is preferably close to the mid-height of the totalvertical height of the expansion device. When the expansion device isplaced in the joint, the second height is preferably greater than thefirst height. This means that the anchoring elements are preferablyplaced in the upper portion of the device when said device is set up.

However, in certain embodiments, one can contemplate several rows oflugs, one row arranged above the transfer elements and one row arrangedbelow the transfer elements. In this case, both rows of lugs have,according to the invention, a reservation or means for fixing apositioning and maintaining device.

Advantageously, the flat sheets serving as anchoring elements arearranged essentially parallel to the plane of the slabs.

Advantageously, said profile of the anchoring elements is slightly bentso that the distal portion is essentially perpendicular to the profilesor to the separator plate and therefore parallel to the plane of theslabs.

The anchoring elements can have openings such as apertures in theproximal portion, the diameter or the maximum dimension of theseapertures preferably being smaller than that of the opening orreservation present in the distal portion.

All of the anchoring elements and more particularly of the distalportions are preferably connected to each other by a linking rodarranged essentially parallel to the device.

The edges of the sheet allowing to realize the anchoring elements canhave a corrugated profile on the proximal portion thereof and arectilinear profile on its distal portion. This relates to facilitatinganchoring during setting of the concrete.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a perspective view of a device used asexpansion profile according to two different embodiments and for fittingan expansion joint between two concrete slabs according to the priorart.

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view, perpendicular to thelongitudinal axis, of an expansion device according to the prior art.

FIG. 4 illustrates a detailed lateral cross-sectional view of ananchoring element such as a lug used in an expansion device according tothe prior art.

FIG. 5 illustrates a detailed lateral cross-sectional view of ananchoring element such as a lug used in an expansion device according tothe present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a top view of such an anchoring element used in theexpansion device according to a first embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 7 illustrates a top view of such an anchoring element used in theexpansion device according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 8 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the complete deviceprovided with its positioning device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate two different embodiments of devices forfitting an expansion joint and as used according to the prior art. Thesedevices will be poured in concrete slabs (20, 30) which are notillustrated in these two FIGS. 1 and 2 but well in FIG. 3. These arepre-assembled devices which are set up before the concrete slabs arepoured.

This type of traditional expansion device (40) comprises two metallicprofiles (1) and (2), arranged opposite each other, often on both sidesof a separator plate (3), or themselves forming a separation between theadjacent slabs. The device will have to be arranged perpendicularly inrelation to the plane of the slabs (100) and more precisely verticallyin relation thereto or in relation to the floor.

On at least one of the two faces of the device, but preferably on eitherside of the joint, are arranged load transfer elements (4) which gothrough the device, and which take the form of load transfer projectionsor dowels. These projections are preferably flat or planar and can takeany shape whatsoever. The shape of these projections can be trapezoidal,rectangular or even triangular, or round. The load transfer elements canalso be made up of dowels which are rods with round, square,rectangular, etc. sections.

The projections or dowels are arranged parallel to the plane of theslabs and therefore perpendicular to the profiles (1) and (2) or to theseparator plate (3), preferably at mid-height.

Preferably, the space provided between two consecutive projections issmaller than the length of said projection. The width and thickness ofthese projections or dowels will be defined so as to absorb a loadtransfer during the heat expansions/retractions which the concrete slabsmay undergo. These projections can usually take the form (FIGS. 2 and 3)of plates obtained by bending of the metallic profiles (1) and (2) intwo portions arranged at a right angle, the first portion being verticaland therefore parallel to the profile(s), the second portion forming theprojection (4).

The metallic profiles are further provided with anchoring elements (5)present in the upper portion of the joint and arranged regularly spacedover the length of the profile. The distance between two anchoringelements can be chosen so as to ensure adequate anchoring. The presenceof the anchoring elements can be seen on either side of the metallicprofiles, and these can be arranged either alternating or opposite eachother.

Usually, according to the prior art and as illustrated in FIG. 4, theanchoring elements are cylindrical rods (5) having a length greater thanthe width of the projections or dowels. For example, one can use rodshaving a diameter of 10 mm for a length from several centimetres (e.g.five) to several tens of centimetres (e.g. twenty).

As illustrated in FIG. 2, these anchoring elements can be flat sheets(5′) having a length also greater than the width of the projections ordowels, with a suitable thickness and width. Advantageously, the flatsheets will have a width of at least 20 mm and preferably in the rangeof 30 mm for a thickness of less than 10 mm and preferably in the rangeof 5 mm.

In some cases, the lugs do not exceed the transfer elements, which areround dowels.

These anchoring elements are provided with a tip which can take the formof a full tip, for example in the form of a bolt (6) or a protuberanceas shown in FIG. 4. According to the embodiment of FIG. 2, only the end7 of the sheet is separated in two in order to better ensure anchoring.

Usually, the anchoring devices are slightly inclined in relation to theplane of the slabs (100). Suitably, the angle of inclination is greaterthan 10° and less than 30°, and preferably in the range of 20°. FIG. 5illustrates an example of such an anchoring element according to thepresent invention. One can also contemplate placing anchoring elementshorizontally, therefore parallel to the plane of the slabs. Anotheralternative is to propose welding the anchoring elements horizontallyand bending them slightly.

According to one preferred embodiment of the invention as shown indetail in FIG. 5, we have chosen a flat sheet (5′) used as anchoringelement. According to this embodiment, this flat sheet is a sheet whichwill be slightly bent and which will have an inclined profile inrelation to the proximal portion (10) whereas it will have a flatprofile parallel to the plane of the slabs (100) in its distal portion(11).

Finally, an additional bend (12) can advantageously be provided at itsdistal end (13). The presence of this bend will advantageously allow theplacement of a rod or beam (14) whereof the length correspondsessentially to the length of the metallic profiles (1) or (2) or of theseparator plate (3) and allows to maintain and connect the differentanchoring elements or lugs to each other.

According to the present invention, the distal portion of at least oneelement and preferably all of the anchoring elements has an aperture oropening (15) as represented in FIG. 6 or a reservation (25) asrepresented in FIG. 7 which allows the passage of at least one device(50) for positioning and maintaining the expansion profile (illustratedschematically in FIG. 8).

Advantageously, all of the anchoring elements or lugs will have such anopening (15) or reservation (25). The fact that the lugs arranged oneither side of the separator plate have this reservation or opening willallow arranging a certain number, and preferably at least threepositioning and maintaining devices. Ideally, at least two devices willbe placed on one side while a third device will be placed on the otherside of the profiles (1) or (2) or of the separator plate (3). Beingable to place such maintaining devices (50) on either side of theexpansion device allows a perfectly suitable adjustment and also allowspreserving the perfect verticality of the expansion profiles in relationto the concrete slab.

According to one preferred embodiment, the slope of the proximal (10) iscomprised between 20° and 40°, and is preferably close to 30°. The slopeof the distal portion (11) could even be inverted and be close to 10°.

According to one particularly preferable embodiment as illustrated inFIG. 6, the proximal portion (10) of the anchoring elements also hasapertures (16) called aeration apertures. The aim and the presence ofthese apertures is to allow the passage of the air which may have beentrapped under the proximal portion (10) of these anchoring elements.Advantageously, the diameter or maximum size of these aeration apertures(16) is much smaller than the reservation (25) or opening (15) providedin the distal portion (11). Advantageously, the diameter of theapertures present in the distal portion is in the range of 8 mm, whilethe diameter of the opening or reservation present in the distal portionis in the range of 16 mm.

According to another preferred embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 6, onecan contemplate that the side walls or edges (17) of said anchoringelements have, at least in their proximal portion, a non-rectilinearprofile (corrugated in the case of FIG. 6) whereas preferably, theprofile of the distal portion is rectilinear. This design allows tofacilitate anchoring during setting of the concrete.

Advantageously, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the placement of such anexpansion device will be done properly by proposing arranging, on eitherside, at least one if not two positioning and maintaining devices (50),perfectly adapting the arrangement of said devices allowing a heightadjustment, while also ensuring perfect verticality. This allows toobtain better stability during concreting.

1. A device intended for establishing a connection between two adjacentslabs (20, 30) by fitting the expansion joint found between the twoslabs, said device taking the form of a metallic profile (40) or twometallic profiles (1, 2), the device being provided with load transferelements (4) arranged at a first defined height as well as anchoringelements (5) arranged at a second defined height, said anchoringelements being arranged on either side of the profile(s), eitheralternating or opposite each other, wherein said anchoring elements takethe form of a flat sheet having a distal portion (11) and a proximalportion (10) with respect to said expansion joint and which has, in thedistal portion, an opening (15) or a reservation (25) allowing thepassage of a positioning and maintaining device (50) or of means forfastening a positioning and maintaining device (50), the arrangement ofsaid positioning and maintaining device allowing a height adjustment ofthe device.
 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the flat sheetsused as anchoring elements (5) are arranged essentially parallel to theplane (100) of the slabs.
 3. The device according to claim 1, whereinthe profile of the anchoring elements (5) is slightly bent so that thedistal portion (11) of the anchoring element (5) is essentiallyperpendicular to the profiles (1, 2) and therefore parallel to the plane(100) of the slabs.
 4. The device according to claim 1, wherein theanchoring elements (5) have apertures (16) in the proximal portion (10).5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the diameter or the maximumdimension of the apertures (16) present in the proximal portion (10) issmaller than that of the opening (15) or reservation (25) present in thedistal portion (11) of the anchoring elements (5).
 6. The deviceaccording claim 1, wherein all of the anchoring elements (5) areconnected to each other by a connecting rod (14) arranged essentiallyparallel to the profiles (1, 2).
 7. The device according to claim 1,wherein edges (17) of the sheet allowing to realize the anchoringelements (5) have a corrugated profile on the proximal portion (10)thereof and a rectilinear profile (11) on its distal portion.
 8. Thedevice according to claim 1, wherein said opening is defined as having aclose profile and has the form of a through-hole.
 9. The deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein said reservation is defined as having anopen profile and has the form of a recess.
 10. The device according toclaim 1, wherein said slabs are concrete slabs.
 11. The device accordingto claim 1, wherein said load transfer elements are projections.
 12. Thedevice according to claim 1, wherein said load transfer elements aredowels.